1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the servicing of wells by use of wireline retrievable equipment, and more particularly, to a wireline retrievable apparatus that is useful for removing scale and other downhole deposits from the inside of well tubulars or tools such as, for example, subsurface safety valves, nipples, sliding sleeves, and orienting shoes in side pocket mandrels.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of general purpose, fluid-powered cleaning tools for removing scale and other deposits from the inside diameter of well tubulars has previously been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,799,554 and 4,919,204.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,554 discloses a cleaning apparatus adapted to be deployed in a well conduit on the end of reeled or coil tubing that is injected into a well. Cleaning fluid is pumped down the reeled tubing, through the apparatus, and outward through a plurality of jet nozzles in the head of the cleaning tool. A system of springs, control slots and indexing pins cooperates with ratchet teeth to provide limited relative longitudinal and rotational movement between concentrically positioned mandrels in response to changes in the pressure at which cleaning fluid is pumped through the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,204 discloses another cleaning apparatus adapted for deployment inside a well on reeled tubing. The apparatus comprises a non-rotating inner mandrel adapted to receive cleaning fluid pumped down through the reeled tubing, a housing rotatably mounted on the exterior of the inner mandrel, and a nozzle body attached to the housing. Fluid pressure flowing through the inner mandrel causes the housing to rotate relative to the inner mandrel, and the rotation is used to direct fluid jets towards different portions of the interior of a flow conductor. A wireline retrievable jet cleaning tool is needed, however, that is adapted to be powered by fluid pumped downward through the production tubing rather than through reeled tubing as previously disclosed.
When tubing-retrievable, surface controlled subsurface safety valves such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,993 are used in wells, problems are sometimes encountered due to the presence of scale, corrosion byproducts, mineral deposits and the like that foul or otherwise impair the operability of the lockout sleeves, operating sleeves, pistons or ball mechanisms of the valves. In such instances, a wireline retrievable, fluid-powered, jet cleaning tool is needed that can be suspended from a support member above or inside the safety valve, that can simultaneously clean a plurality of longitudinally spaced target areas within the valve, and that can be rotated fully to facilitate cleaning of the entire inside circumference of the valve.
A reciprocating jet cleaning tool is also needed that can be deployed by wireline equipment inside well tools or tubulars, and that comprises longitudinally spaced nozzle sections, each of which is adapted to sweep jets of a pressurized cleaning fluid both longitudinally and circumferentially over a predetermined target area inside the well tools or tubulars.